


Drumbeat of Cicadas

by CadetDru



Category: What We Do in the Shadows (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Insomnia, Season/Series 02, Sleep, energy vampires, psychic vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:02:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26648704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CadetDru/pseuds/CadetDru
Summary: "I can't sleep," Guillermo said, big eyes pleading for something.Colin grinned.  "I don't need sleep, you know.  Not in the same way that you do. Humans are so funny like that.  You have to be unconscious on a pretty regular basis.  The vampires, the other kind, I think they just do it out of boredom.  To hide out from the sun and each other and everything."Guillermo turned down the blanket on his bed. "Hiding," he echoed as he sat back down.
Relationships: Guillermo de la Cruz & Colin Robinson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Drumbeat of Cicadas

**Author's Note:**

> Title is NOT Circadian Rhythm BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE

Guillermo was sitting on top of his made bed, wearing faded sweatpants and a Buffy the Vampire Slayer T-shirt.He had gotten blood on his normal shirt when he dispatched a vampire a few minutes before. The camera crew had given him privacy to change, and had now swarmed back in on him.

"Today should be a boring one for all of us." He knocked on the dwall, superstitiously staving off. "Like, I have set today aside just to sleep. Just sleep. Fuck chores, the Council, whatever.I just need to actually I can't sleep.I've had too much caffeine, I'm super keyed up."

He didn't say that it was because he had killed another assassin. He didn't need to.His eyes were so alert, the rush of fear still coursing through him.

"I've just gotten into the habit of being awake and I don't know how to turn it all off.There's, like, prescription medications exactly for this but I don't have any prescriptions or interesting friends who would help me get around that... unless you guys?"

"Sorry," the camera operator said.

Guillermo frowned, disbelieving."Not like you guys are that much better than me, but at least you have different crews."

"We're okay," the camera operator said. "We have a whole system."

Guillermo let that slide. "I could try alcohol, but that just leads to still being awake but with a fuzzy headache and stomachache." Guillermo sighed. "Is Colin Robinson out there?"

The camera swung to the beige man in beige clothes who was radiating beige. "On my way to work," he said brightly, moving past the camera.

"I can't sleep," Guillermo said, big eyes pleading for something.

Colin grinned."I don't need sleep, you know.Not in the same way that you do. Humans are so funny like that.You have to be unconscious on a pretty regular basis.The vampires, the other kind, I think they just do it out of boredom.To hide out from the sun and each other and everything."

Guillermo turned down the blanket on his bed. "Hiding," he echoed as he sat back down.

Colin chuckled. "You know, prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to psychosis. You're already surrounded by needs terrors, killing humans and all. See things in the shadows. You're halfway there even if you are rested.Being awake for more than a day or two, and the mind just sort of unravels. You've been lucky so far."

Guillermo slowly laid back on his bed. "Chuckled," he said, switching to narration. 

"Unless you haven't, but that's a discussion for another time. Tonight, it's about sleep, not sanity. Not that there's a lot of difference between the two." Colin's eyes started to glow.

Guillermo nodded, half asleep already. 

"A lack of natural light can be good to help maintain quality sleep, but not so good to establish the natural rhythm of the day. You get that article I clipped out for you on daylight lamps? I was going to give it to Nandor to read, see if he'd get it for you for your birthday. He didn't pay attention to me, but it really is a good idea.You need a proper pattern established.You've always been kind of an insomniac, a night owl, right?"

Guillermo murmured agreement.

"I noticed it when you first came aboard. It's a good sign for familiars, they need people disposable and adaptable.Someone who can do whatever needs to be done.Someone who doesn't necessarily want to leave a happy and healthy life. Of course, serving the undead gets you halfway there yourself, eh little buddy?"

Guillermo's eyes started to open. 

Colin's voice was softer, more soothing when he spoke again. "When you're a vampire, it'll be easier.You'll sleep during the daylight, be awake during the dark.You've gotten to do that, sometimes, when the nights are longer.The winters are good to familiars and their masters. I know the summer can be hard for you," Colin said."I just can't be troubled to help you. I don't need you sane, I don't really need you alive.It's better, for now, with you alive."

"Want to be a vampire," Guillermo said. 

"Do you? I know what you've been doing," Colin Robinson said."I'm still sort of vaguely associated with the Council. The assassins should have achieved by now. Fucking amazing that you've been able to keep them away this long.I can see what you're doing for the hose, see what you're doing for them.See you getting soft on the edges of your mind.If this is the path we're going to go, need you at the top of your game.And you need to sleep."

"Fuck you," Guillermo muttered.

"In your dreams," Colin said with a smirk. "And sweet dreams, too."

Guillermo sighed: "Nandor."

Colin Robinson rolled his eyes and the glow stopped.He looked to the camera. "Well, nothing like a healthy breakfast before work.You guys feel free to get someextra footage of the house or whatever. Stay out of my room."

The camera followed him towards the door.

"How long will Guillermo be knocked out?" the camera operator asked.

"He's just asleep," Colin said."Sometimes, you just need to sneak a little NyQuil into the kid."

"Sometimes? You've never done this before," the camera operator said.

"Not with you guys around," Colin said. "You haven't always been here. He opened the door. "He's been here for years.Don't tell Nandor, but he's basically our guard dog as well as Nandor's lapdog. You can feed the dog table scraps sometimes, just a little treat. You have to take care of your household pets."

Colin left.

The camera crew stayed, getting a shot of Guillermo fast asleep in his bed before leaving him to his vampirically-induced sleep.


End file.
